When Things Go Superbly
by DeviWan
Summary: Kaka/Ita. The least they could do was take a moment off for themselves and enjoy each other, cause that's usually when things go superbly. It's yaoi, shounen-ai, sci-fi and a whole lot of complicated things. Go on, have a look, you know you want to...


Title: When Things go Superbly

Pairing: Kakashi/Itachi

Disclaimer: I owe nothing… except the plot of this story.

AU: I've re-written this story. It is now a one-shot, though it's a little long (understatement of the week). This fictional story takes place in the modern world, with cars and computers and everything. It is also a yaoi, so be aware now before you treed. There are occasional OOCness in certain characters, but it needed to be done and also be aware of age difference. There are so many warnings that I need to give out about this story, but I doubt many people read author's notes anyway (feel so ignored). _The italics are flash-backs, but don't skip them…_

**When things go Superbly **

One of these days, he was going to wake up and curse his dead parents to hell. But until that day comes, he'll live out this pathetic life of his. Had he really been by himself, Itachi would've ended this miserable life of his ages ago, but alas, he had his little brother to take care of. Just the thought of leaving Sasuke all by himself hurt his chest beyond words, Itachi didn't like that pain. He wanted Sasuke to live a happy, fulfilling life. He wanted Sasuke to live a life much better than his. Sasuke was young yet and still had a chance. And as a loving big brother, Itachi would do anything to provide for the boy, which, understandably, led to him leading a life like **this**.

During the day, Itachi used his deceivingly innocent face to work at a restaurant that used to only serve ramen. And then, when the sun gives up to the moon, he earned his money by stealing certain objects requested by his faceless clients. Other times he steals things just for himself. '_They were all done for a reason though'_, he would reason. He had to provide for his little brother, whom was just starting high school. Their parents had died, leaving him their large sum of debts. He had to work his ass off trying to repay the loans while providing for himself and his brother. It doesn't matter that he himself had to drop out from high school and never finish his education.

His pure little brother was only aware of his work during the day, while at night he thought that his elder brother works somewhere else. Itachi willed it to be that way; Sasuke didn't need to be involved in this kind of life.

_'And'_, Itachi mused, '_this thieving kind of life at night wasn't so bad'_. He wasn't stupid, no sir he was not. He'd said before that it was fine that he never got to university, because he didn't _**need**_ to. He was a genius, anyone could tell that. He never got caught, never left traces of his existence and never failed his mission. His clients, all rich and snobby, came back to him again and again, asking for him to work for them. Of course, he refused all offer. He wasn't going to chain himself down to only one boss.

He lied to little Sasuke, who was starting not to be so little anymore, and said that the money they now have were all left by their parents. The little boy, again not so little anymore, didn't belief a word he said, but he didn't challenge his god-like brother either.

Well anyway, back to what he was doing…

Itachi actually never thought he'd be in this place, ever. The buildings loomed over his small form. And on the very front, in large, bold letters, a sign read, "University of Konoha no Sato". The brunette scoffed. A few yards away from him, a freshman gawked at the letters, his books and possessions on the ground. He really didn't see anything that impressive. He had learnt all that people could learn in a university when he was only thirteen. So, really, these people were just wasting their money. But he wasn't about to shed light onto them, let them be idiots for all he cared. He had a job to do…

What was the name of his current client again? Oh, yes, someone with a name that sounded similar to a cockroach. Cockroachy… Oroachy… Oroachyman… something like that; he hadn't been listening. The snake-like man had requested a tube of some drug. The man even gave him a picture of the vile that contained the drug. The client had explained, in total detail, what the drug could do, just by smelling it. Though, the weasel mused, why a drug that powerful was in a university was beyond his reasoning. But, again, he really didn't care. There was big money in this. And money makes Itachi that much closer to being happy.

A group of students walked by, their laughter loud and so very annoying to his ears. Adjusting his black jacket and putting on his innocent face, he glided into the university ground and headed to the 'Medical Science' building. Even though he was slightly arrogant in his abilities to elude the police, he wasn't stupid enough to show his face for too long. Since the beginning of this year, the forces of Konoha had been on his case. He heard, from a loudmouth police officer, that they even had a team with the sole purpose of catching him and bringing him in. The pale brunette chuckled quietly. They even gave him a name, but he'd already forgotten what it was. Later on, he would probably look back and twitch at his forgetfulness.

One of these days, his absent-mindedness will get him caught and arrested.

He got many, many looks along the way to the lab. For a moment he wondered again why he decided to steal the drug in broad daylight. Oh, that's right, it's because this university has so much fund that they could actually afford guards at night. Itachi sneered at the thought. "If this city has so much money, you'd think they could afford to take care of orphans," he mumbled bitterly to himself. He and Sasuke had been on the streets for a few weeks, before Itachi found out that he had a face people couldn't distrust. Bless his mother for passing her genes and beautiful looks onto him.

A few girls giggled and smiled at him and he smiled back, because that's what boys his age would do. A few guys gave him strange looks and he smiled back, because he didn't know how else to respond. The deeper he got into the building, the fewer people there are, something that the little weasel was grateful for. He passed the classrooms and started looking for a certain name. Following his instincts, which never failed him, and turned down a hallway. Names started coming up on the tags on the doors and the thief smirked. Hopefully things will end today and he would be home in time for Sasuke to come home from school. It was the weasel's eighteenth birthday today, did Sasuke remember, he wondered.

He stopped at one door, the second last one and checked to see if his weapons are still with him. Of course they were; they _always_ were. Two small daggers in his jacket, another one strapped to his left calf and a few equipments for breaking and entering are with him. But, just to be sure, he knocked a few times on the door.

He waited, but nobody opened the door. He was about to break in, quietly of course, when the last door opened and a woman with purple hair came out. He froze, but his eyes remained wide and innocent. He saw her eyes soften and felt smug; she was falling for his harmless look, just like everybody else.

"You're looking for Hatake-san?" She asked, her voice not at all soft, unlike her appearance. "He's not in, I think he's out reading his porn; it's his break. He should be back in about twenty minutes, do you think you can wait that long?"

He responded, making sure to get rid of any mischief in his voice, "Yes, I think I'll do that. Thank you." He gave her a soft smile and watched as she blushed.

She hesitates and the thief knew she wanted to ask for his name, but she was a teacher here, asking for his name for reasons other than work related wasn't good for her job. So she smiled and walk down the hall. His soft smile was replaced by a smirk and he brought out a paper clip, straightening it out, only leaving the end curled and picking at the lock. He fumbled for a few seconds, before the lock clicked under his expertise. He opened the door quietly and was glad that the hinge didn't creak. Once in the small office, he knew exactly where to go. Oroachy-man had explained in full detail. But even though he knew what to do and should do it straight away, he couldn't help but look around. This is probably his first and last chance at being in a university.

He checked to see if there was any surveillance and rolled his eyes when he found none.

The room was small, with a desk and a shelf full of books. The desk was full of… stuff, but was well kept. He walked around the wooden desk and opened a few draws. On the third draw that the brunette opened, he found an object that looked very expensive. He gingerly took the thing out and examined it. It was a ring. With that thought, the Uchiha peered closer at the heavy object. It was silver and extremely heavy. At the top, instead of a diamond or a jewel like most rings, there was a kanji_. "Vermilion,"_ it read, a bright, red colour.

The silver, metal ring looked and weigh expensive, so he pocketed it and went to a painting by the bookshelf. It was a painting of an orange book, with the sign to keep away from children and seemed to have a halo around it. The small Uchiha tilted his head to the side, a confused frown marring his pretty face. He shook his head and decided that the victim he was stealing from was a big pervert. He carefully touched the frame of the painting, but instead of taking it off the wall, he slid it down and let go. The painting turned and fell into the wall. Now, instead of the painting he was facing, it was a safe.

"This is my favourite part," he whispered huskily. It wasn't true, really. His favourite part was when he could hurt someone, but this will have to suffice. He put one frail looking hand on the wall next to the safe, and then put his ear on the cool metal surface. He didn't need to know the combination to get it open; this job was easy. The drug will have to be worth a lot for the client to pay this much just to get it. For a moment he thought about just taking the drug and selling it for a higher prize to someone else, but thought otherwise. The snake-like man looked extremely powerful; he could come after Itachi via Sasuke, if he ever discovered that he had a brother that is.

After many clicks, but only four clicks had an echo to it, the safe door finally snapped open, nearly hitting the Uchiha on his pretty nose. Reflex that ran in the family saved his face though. Good, he thought, because he'll charge extra to have his nose fixed. He looked distastefully at the thin, neon yellow vial and remembered the hiss-like words of his client. He grabbed a pair of gloves from his back pocket and put them on, the stolen pair of gloves loose around his thin hand. Grabbing the vial that weighed more than it looked, the thief put it gently into a rubber container that hung around his neck. He put the container, connected to a string, into his shirt and closed the safe. He watched the safe go back into the wall and the painting of the porn book return.

He dared sigh softly; mission accomplished.

… Or not, he thought when he felt intense eyes staring at his back. His heart fluttered delicately in excitement.

Straightening his small back, he turned to the one staring at him, most likely the owner of this office, expecting to see a fat, bolding pervert.

What he saw, was not what he expected.

His heart gave another delicate flutter, but this time with a tiny hint of fright in it.

The man before him was tall, at least one head taller than him. The Uchiha almost pout; great, another one to add to his list of people taller than him. The lecturer stood in the doorway, almost filling the whole space. He wasn't fat, no he was not! Itachi's alarmed eyes trailed from the silver head to the masked face, down the strong set of masked jaw and to the broad shoulders. Even under the appropriate suit, the thief still saw the muscles hugging the silver-head. His black eyes went back up to the man's eyes. One was covered by a rolled up bandana, while the other was a deep, deep brown that it appeared black. His eyes couldn't help but trail down again. Why wasn't this man a HPE teacher or something?

Oh, if only he could be born with this kind of build.

But alas, he was stuck with this fragile little body that his mother and father gave him. But what the Uchiha lacked in build, he made up in speed. Somewhere, deep within him, his instincts were telling him that this man was familiar. He's seen this man before. Itachi chose now to ignore his instincts. And yet, he had to wonder if his daggers will even pierce those hard muscles at all.

Oh well, one way to find out!

With near lightning speed, he drew a dagger from inside his jacket and flung it at the man. The smaller of the two didn't wait around to see the result. With quick strides, the dark haired thief was at the window, peering down.

He was three storeys up, but there was a car below. It wasn't a problem, he thought. He'd jumped from five storeys once before. The man behind him grunted in pain, but by then the Uchiha was already halfway down. '_Though he had a deep, soothing voice,'_ Itachi thought. He kept his eyes on the red car below. In the air, he flipped so he was at an angle, making sure that he would land on his shoulder and side first. And he did, but in order not to break his small bones, he rolled, rolled to take the pressure off his shoulder and rolled off the car. All this happened in less than four seconds. The window glass and windscreen shattered into billions of pieces under such great impact. His right shoulder hurt a lot, but he was safe and still able to run.

And he did just that.

He ran as fast as his long legs could carry him, because in the back of his head he knew that the man he'd thrown the dagger at would be able to match his speed. He heard a crash a few seconds after he started running. '_The silver-headed man had jumped out the window as well'_, he thought. Yet, despite the slight fear he felt, he couldn't help but smirk. '_Uchiha Itachi'_, he thought to himself_, 'it's been a long time since you've been chased.' _

He ran faster, his arms moving back and forth at his sides, opposing movements to his slender legs. He moved so fast that things even began to get blurry.

Faces flew past him, also blurry. He got many looks, shocked, surprised and still some looks with lust. They moved out of his and the man's way. At the speed that he was travelling at, he realised that his jacket had flown open and his daggers were very visible. He heard heavy breathing behind him and sped up. The road approached him fast and he pushed even harder, the adrenaline rushing and moving about his body. He didn't even stop by the road, but he kept going. He saw the car that sped by, but he kept running, because he was confident in his skills.

At the last second, before the car hit him, he jumped and rolled sideways, up the windscreen and over the roof of the car, with the aid of the car's momentum.

His landing, however, was not as graceful as he'd expected. Instead of landing on his left foot first, as he should have, he landed on his right, the momentum carrying him over and he rolled onto the hard road. For a moment he worried for the vial of drug in his shirt, but it passed, because it was encased in rubber. It won't break; the client thought well.

Itachi breathed shallowly, in and out, as to not hurt his, most likely, bruised ribs. His vision swam from the sudden rush of adrenaline and hard impact with the road. He rolled up again, attempting to run when rough, calloused hands gripped tightly onto his shoulders. He was jerked backwards, pressed hard against even harder chest. With resignation, he slumped a little and turned to look up at his captor. The man seemed even more dangerous up close, but Itachi thought that it was probably due to his deceivingly lazy appearance.

"It wasn't what it looked like," he wheezed out.

"Really?" Itachi frowned when he saw that the man wasn't even breathing hard, not even a bead of sweat on his large form.

"Yes, yes," he said. It seemed that the silver-head man was playing along with him. "You see, this is all a dream. You're dreaming, you realise?" Later on, the Uchiha would look back at this moment and not laugh. It was the most pathetic lie he'd ever come up with.

The one-eyed man raised his only visible eyebrow. "Oh? Then how do you explain the dagger still in my side?" The deep voice vibrated through his whole body and into Itachi.

Itachi couldn't turn around, but after stilling and moving slowly backwards, he felt the blunt end of his dagger press into his back. With horror, the thief realised that even while bleeding to death, the man was still able to run after him and hold him in place. And he'd been in this business for years now. Dread flooded his system. '_But things are okay'_, he thought_. 'As long as I keep my mouth shut about Sasuke, things should be fine'._ He'd stolen enough in the last few years to get Sasuke through high school. But after that, he'll have to work for himself.

He sucked a deep breath through clenched teeth. "Oh, wait, give me a minute. I'm sure I'll come up with a suitable lie."

"Yeah, in jail."

**~xXx~**

"A jail," the Uchiha sneered. "_This_… is a jail?"

The man, whom Itach had at one point suspected was not a man at all, looked up from his book. His eye was half lidded a look of utter boredom visible in his eye. "Are you complaining?"

"No, I was just curious. Had I known that this is what prison would be like, I would've let myself be caught the moment I started this business." Of course, how could anyone complain in such an environment? They were in a wide room, the walls a soft hue of light blue. There was no window, but only one door. There weren't any picture or painting on the wall, but various pots of plants lined along the walls and corners. In the centre were two long couches and a low table between them. The lights were soft and tender to the eyes, the touch of the couches elegant and gentle. Itachi really could live here. There was a coffee maker on a table in one corner and a small fridge next to it.

But even though it really was a nice place, Itachi'd tried to run off many times during the last three hours that they've been there. And at all those attempts of escape, he'd landed right back in the arms of the silver-headed Cyclops. He was very sure now that the man really wasn't a man. And to make it even more painful to the Uchiha's pride, the other didn't even restrain him in anyway.

He sighed softly, blowing a strand of silky hair from his face.

They'd come in a black car, bordering a limousine; with the Konoha force insignia on it. But instead of stopping at the police station, they'd gone right past it and down a tunnel. Then they had covered his eyes, so he had no idea where they were. The man got out of the car and led him straight into this comfortable room. They'd been here for almost three hours now, with Itachi trying to escape six times.

One attempt included him trying to seduce a medic when she came to heal their wounds. The medic, a dark headed woman, had looked up and smiled. What she said, however, hurt him more. "I'm sorry, Uchiha-san. I'm already engaged… and I like my man tall and big." His seductive smile had slipped right off his face while the woman, whom introduced herself as Shizune, patted his head and headed out.

He'd stayed frozen, bottom lip hanging out all the while putting up with the roaring laughter of the Cyclops. "She'd rather adopt you as her son before even thinking of going on a date with you!" The silver-headed man had said, before going back to laughing like a maniac.

"Shut up, you idiotic pervert," he'd hissed back, trying to cover his burning cheeks.

One of his other attempts at escaping included him trying to seduce the very man who was holding him captive. That attempt, in itself, hadn't gone the way he'd planned. In fact, it'd gone out of his control the moment he initiated it. At first, he'd slid closer to the larger man, until he could feel the other's warmth. Then he'd put on his innocent face, one that has never been refused before. The lines under his eyes had served to aid in his helpless look. He had opened his mouth to speak, but the other'd beat him to it. "You really wouldn't want to go there," he'd almost growled out at Itachi. "You don't know what I can do." Itachi'd been confused at this point. The bigger man leaned down and in a low, husky voice, he'd said, "I could do things to you, things that might seem impossible now." The statement was followed by a perverted grin in the eye.

Itachi scrambled away, to the opposite couch, his heart racing away in slight fear. He'd been a thief for many years, but he wasn't low enough to stoop to a level like that. Yes, this elusive thief still had his innocence.

The man held up his hand. "The vial," he demanded. "And the metal ring too, please."

Itachi resisted the urge to pout. He'd truly been hoping that the man was as absent-minded as he appeared. With a roll of his eyes, he pulled the drug and the heavy ring out and threw it at the man's head. The objects never hit the target.

He watched carefully as the big man gingerly pocketed the ring. _'It must've been precious to _him', the weasel thought.

So, after some hour of boredom, Itachi decided to be polite. "Please," he started stoically. "Explain to me why we're just sitting here?"

The man looked up from his book for the second time that hour. "How long have we been here?"

"Three hours."

"Ok, I think I'm late enough. Let's go," with that he stood up, pocketed his small book and stood by the door, waiting for Itachi.

The lithe Uchiha narrowed his dark eyes. "You…" He couldn't find the words to describe what was on his mind, so he settled for just glaring at the tall man. They walked down a tall hallway, the walls bare of any pictures and silver. The captured thief wondered if this place was literally made of metal. The silver-head man's eyes never left his orange book, but he didn't bump into anything either… not that there's anything to bump into. Itachi was raised with manners, so he said, "I'm Uchiha Itachi."

The small thief had expected a reply, but got none.

The imposing man continued to read and giggle. Itachi slowed down in his steps, and then, when the bigger man giggled again, he turned and ran. Just like a few hours ago, he ran as fast as he could. That, however, proved to be a slightly more difficult task; his shoulders ache painfully after so much abuse and his right ankle hurt. But even then, he ran. '_Sasuke will be worried_,' he thought_, 'I have to get back to him'_. Though he should be worrying if that was wise, leading the police back to their place wasn't on his mind.

He ran and turned down another corridor. This place didn't give him many choices of directions. So, Itachi wasn't exactly shocked when he stopped at a dead end. There was a door, the only one, at the end. He wasn't stupid. He knew it was a trap from the beginning, but he knew he had to try. He slowed down his breath, straightened out his clothes and opened the door. It was an office inside, a large, silver table in the centre. There wasn't a window in sight. An old, frail looking man sat behind the table, his hands folded and a kind, wise smile on his wrinkled face. Without even wanting to, Itachi felt his heart flutter at the kind expression. It's been a long time since someone's smiled like that to him. But, again, he wasn't stupid. He himself had an innocent, helpless face. People trusted him and look what happened to them?

Standing next to the old man, to his left side was a blond lady, tall and slender with a pair of huge breast. She had her arms crossed, a small frown marring her young face. On the other side of the old man was another man, tall and big. He looked to be older than the lady, but much younger than the old man. His face was blank at the moment, but judging by the wrinkles around his eyes and his mouth, Itachi could tell that he smiles and laugh a lot. They were all looking at him, their eyes too soft and knowing for his comfort. Someone entered the door behind him and he looked back to see his guard walking in, book still in hand. He also noted that Kakashi had discarded his suit jacket, now only in his white shirt, his sleeves pulled up to just above his elbows. His tie was also missing.

His mask and bandana, however, stayed on.

"You're late, Kakashi," the woman growled softly, but her voice wasn't at all surprised.

"Ah, you see, I got lost on the road of life… and there was this little weasel and he wouldn't stop trying to bite me. I was ever so horrified, poor little old me," the man, now known as Kakashi, answered. He bowed to the oldest person in the room.

The woman rolled her amber eyes, and the big man with white hair spoke up. "Is that him?" Kakahsi nod and the bigger man narrow his dark eyes, peering carefully at Itachi. "Isn't he a bit small to be working in that kind of business?"

The oldest man finally spoke up, his voice hoarse but still kind; it even had a playful hint to it. "Now, now Jiraiya, what the boy did for a living doesn't have anything to do with us. You two, have a seat." Kakashi sat immediately and Itachi followed suit. They may not look like it, but Itachi knew that these people are extremely dangerous. His instincts are telling him to get out, to run and never look back. But his body wasn't in the condition to be working much anymore. His shoulders ache, his leg hurt and he was hungry, thirsty.

"Itachi-kun, I am Sarutobi, you may call my Hokage-sama, everybody does." He followed his introduction with a large, kind grin, once again a playful tint to his voice. "This here is Tsunade," he leaned closer, as if to share a secret. "She's not as young as she looks," then he sat back again. "And this is Jiraiya."

"My greatest hero," Kakahsi added.

Itachi found himself relaxing in the presence of these deceivingly kind people, and he cannot bring himself to _not_ relax.

"Please," he started politely. "Why am I here?"

"You were caught. You're a criminal; shouldn't you be expecting something like this?"

"Yes, in a police station, or a prison, not this…"

"Ah, perhaps we should explain to the poor youth," Sarutobi said. "Do you know where this place is, Itachi-kun?" A cool stare from said weasel answered his question. "You're at the Konoha Underground Lab. Here we do all sorts of things that could help protect Konoha against other cities that wish for our destruction. Other countries are developing and progressing, and if we do not keep up, we will be at a disadvantage."

The blond woman continued. "We're funded by the officials. We've developed technologies and gadgets, but our force in offence is lacking." She pauses at Itachi's slightly confused expression. "We don't relay this information to our citizen, so we don't cause panic, but Otogakure and Iwa might be planning something. And we need every thing we can have to prepare should they ever attack."

Itachi looked at them all carefully. "I have a hint where this is heading, but go on anyway."

They smiled at his bluntness. Sarutobi spoke. "We have found something… important. Our archaeologists team found something quite unique many years ago, and we have been developing it ever since. I won't go into detail what they found, but it is something that could really help Konoha."

The young Uchiha looked disappointed. "Oh." He muttered. The adults raised an eyebrow at this. "I was hoping I'd find something interesting. Well anyway, please skip this… talk and tell me what you want from me."

"I like him," Jiraiya mumbled. Tsunade nodded with him.

Sarutobi smiled kindly. "We need you here, Itachi-kun, because you have a certain… part in your DNA that we've been trying to search for." Itachi raised an eyebrow in show of impatience and Sarutobi sighed in resignation. "We want to experiment on you."

The Uchiha smirked. "See? That wasn't so hard."

They all wait for his reply.

"Why are you asking?" he asked them, his voice calm and deceivingly soft. "You know any sane person would decline."

"Yes, that's why we have a proposal for you. It's something that will benefit both sides," Tsunade spoke up.

Itachi doubted it. Nothing could benefit him unless it benefited Sasuke, but they don't know about Sasuke, do they?

"You can stay here and let us do our job and we will erase all your records and the debts you parents left you and your little brother. Your Sasuke will be adopted by Umino Iruka, who has already adopted Uzumaki Naruto, a friend of your brother's. We will fund for his education, while you stay here with us."

He sat, frozen, as the benefits flew by. "All of my parent's debts?" He whispered. They nod. "Sasuke will be adopted?" They nodded again. "And what about me? What will happen to me?"

"Nothing really, there's only a five percent chance that the experiment will fail. In that case, you will most likely die. But there's also a ninety fiver percent chance that it will not fail, in which case you will gain quite remarkable abilities."

He scoffed softly. "What? Like… Spiderman?"

"Yes, something like that." After a long pause, Tsunade asked. "Do you accept?"

He knew the answer before he even thought about it. Of course, how could re ever refuse? Sasuke will have a family, a brother that can spend more time with him and he won't always have to worry about not having enough money for dinner the next day. But what about him? Surely dieing for Sasuke will not be that bad?

"I accept." They all sighed and smiled at him. He could see that they really, really wanted him to say that. And he wondered what the experiment could be that they would be so desperate. "But… I would like to meet Umino Iruka as well."

They deemed it reasonable enough, because they nodded.

**~xXx~**

'_Umino Iruka',_ Itachi thought, '_is perfect'_. The man was a saint, kind beyond words, but damn scary enough to tame the kids. He was a teacher in elementary school. Itachi watched a tape of him before meeting him. And at one moment, when the children refused to listen to him and he lost his temper, it almost looked like his head exploded. '_He was perfec't_, Itachi thought again. Iruka knew Naruto and Sasuke well; he watched them grow up. He was perfect.

After the tan man had gone back, Itachi was lead to another room.

Not just any room, but a hall! It was huge! And there were people everywhere, all wearing white, neat lab coats and some wearing safety goggles. Kakashi took him to a much smaller room, with a door leading somewhere else.

"What's going on?" He asked the pervert, who looked bored as hell.

"You're going to get cleaned up and Tsunade is going to run some tests with you." The one-eyed man handed Itachi a folded white bathrobe with a pair of slippers on top. "Get changed."

That made sense. "Sorry about stabbing you, by the way," he said. Not caring much for modesty, he stripped. He still had daggers with him and wondered why they hadn't taken them off him yet. Were they really that trusting? He turned his back to the bigger man and took off his last piece of clothing, before unfolding the robe and slipping it on his lithe shoulders. Please, don't get him wrong, he was small, but he was not at all effeminate. While his face could be used as a debate topic for which gender he belonged to, the rest could not. His shoulders were broad, though smaller compared to other men, and he had lithe muscles that weren't too bulky and allowed him great access to speed. He's got a narrowed waist and long, slender legs. The white robe was a size of two bigger than him, but he wasn't complaining.

Kakashi grinned with his eye, before said eye travelled downwards, to the Uchiha's long, slim legs. "It's okay, I barely felt it anyway."

Itachi smirked, deciding not to comment on the look the pervert sent to his legs. "Really? I heard a pretty painful grunt when I jumped." He slipped on the pair of white, fluffy slippers, careful with his swollen right ankle.

"It was all for show." Kakashi was still looking at his legs. It was very obvious what the look meant.

"Up here," he muttered, pointing at his face. The brunette hummed, a playful smirk on his pretty face. "Is that the shower?" He asked, poiting with a thin finger towards the other door.

The aloof pervert nodded and took out his book, leaning against the wall with one leg bent at the knee. Itachi didn't wait. He opened the door and stepped in the silver bathroom. This whole entire facility was either silver or pale blue. He didn't mind much. Once again he stripped, not even checking for and kind of trap. It doesn't matter; if he died then and there, it will be their problem. He'd already signed the contract, Sasuke was safe. The water was hot, warm and perfect for his aching body. He was, however, surprised to see that the water had turned pink. He looked around his body, trying to see where the wound was.

Ah, it seemed that some pieces of glass had gone into his fragile skin when he'd landed on the car. He frowned, why hadn't the nurse noticed? Actually… why hadn't _**he**_ noticed?

He probed at the tiny wounds on his left hip, almost curious. It's been such a long time that he'd received any form of injury. At one particular poke, blood oozed out and he panicked. He covered it with his hand, but the bleeding wouldn't stop. The wounds were tiny, really tiny, but there were glass in there, so it hurt. He took a deep breath and calmed down. Right, what was it that Sasuke did when he got hurt? Well, first of all, Sasuke would scream at him, and then he'd calm down enough to clean his brother's wounds.

But how?

Itachi decided that he would ask the pervert… not the wisest choice, but he wanted to live, not that a wound this small could actually kill him. He washed his hair, rolled it and gathered it over one shoulder. He inspected the long strands. It was long, really long now. The longest strand reached down to the small of his back, but even then it was too long for Itachi's liking. But alas, it was the only style that suited him, just like Sasuke's own unique style. He wrapped his bathrobe on his form again, careful with the wound. The blood has slowed, but he wasn't worried about the blood, just the glass in them.

He opened the door and met Kakashi… well, Kakashi's chest really.

He looked up and muttered, "Hi."

The older man's bored eyes looked at him. "That took you long enough."

"I had to wash my hair. I'm sure it takes a long time for you each morning to take care of your hair."

"What's that supposed to mean, kid?"

Said 'kid' decided that he'd better not piss the big man off if he wanted to take care of his wounds. So, instead, he not so swiftly changed that subject. He's never been good at conversations, despite his elite skills at seduction and mental torture. A normal, un-violent conversation was something that he was not very experienced in. So, instead of embarrassing himself, he decided that bluntness was the way to go. "I'm bleeding," he stated. "And I was wondering what I had to do to get the glass out."

The scarecrow blinked at the utter bluntness. If the little runt hadn't made that comment about his hair, he would've found it adorable. But alas, the brat was a brat... as he'd always been. "Oh," he lowered his book. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to read in peace for a while. "Well, you just… have to get it… out."

The Uchiha glared at the man; he wanted details. Of _course_ he knew he had to get it out! His look turned expectant but the silver haired man didn't go on. Finally, after a few minutes of staring, the inhuman man finally said, "Let's just… go to Tsunade-sama now."

"Hn."

They both exited the small room, with Itachi only in his bathrobe and Kakashi with his book up once more. The smaller refused to follow the lead of the older man, and thus walked in front. He didn't know which direction to walk, but when they needed to turn, Kakashi would gesture with his hand. "Are you even allowed to read such… material in a place like this?"

"Why not?" Kakashi drawled. "This is the perfect place. There's no snot nosed children to hide from… well, not until you were brought in."

He received a cold, vicious glare from the Uchiha. "I'm an adult, you realise?"

"Oh, I know. I was just trying to rile you up, you know, to create some chemistry." The scarecrow gestured to turn down a corridor to the left and they both turn.

The Uchiha, always one for entertainment, suppressed a smirk. '_This is good distraction', _he thought_, 'distraction from the pain in my side'_. He wondered for a moment when the slight itch had turned into searing pain. "Chemistry?" He repeated after the older man. "I would… indulge in the idea, Sir Professor, but a lecturer at a University isn't really my type. Too old, I'd say."

They stopped at a door with Tsunade's name on it, but a card board sign hung at the door knob. _**"Don't come in unless you have sake,"**_ it said.

The brunette raised a fragile looking fist to knock, but was stopped by a much larger hand. He looked up at the masked man questioningly and was surprised by the unfamiliar twinkle in the one eyed man's eye. "That was just a cover to lure Orochimaru in, you know right?"

"I figured." The man tightened his hold on the smaller man's hand, but Itachi carefully pulled his bruising hand away. He turned back to the door and furrowed his eyebrows. The letters on the sign hanging on the door looked blurry. It wasn't blurry before. He blinked a few times, hard, to try and clear his sight. "I think I'm going to faint," mumbled. "Can you catch me?"

"Faint? What do you mean?"

"Like this," he whispered, before his knees felt too weak and he collapsed. But, unlike his prediction, he didn't fully fall unconscious. He was aware of the world; he was just too weak to stand properly. "Oh, never mind. I didn't faint."

The one visible eye rolled in exaggeration. "Obviously. You jumped off from a window three storey up and crushed a car. I didn't think you'd faint from a minor case of blood loss." The muscled man easily picked him up and tossed him over one shoulder, holding him still with one arm while the other opened the door. "Huh, Tsunade-sama is not here, what do you know?" Itachi felt himself gently being lowered down onto a soft bed.

He looked around, taking in the many white beds and a large shelf full of medicines and stuff. On the desk in a corner were many bottles of what smelled like sake. The black headed beauty started swinging his legs on the edge of the bed to get some feelings back. "I'm not going to get fixed by her if she comes back drunk."

"You have a better chance surviving when she's drunk, trust me." Kakashi sat himself on a chair along the wall, crossed his leg and began reading. Itachi'd long ago learn that the other man could multitask.

The bleeding has stopped again in Itachi's wound, but the glass inside made it hurt more than it should. Fifteen minutes of silence and it didn't look like Tsunade would come back soon. The weasel decided that he would get to know this man better. Kakashi was, after all, Itachi's captor. "You captured me," he stated calmly to the reading man.

"Yay," the man absentmindedly pumped one fist in the air, a sure sign of pissing the Uchiha's pride off.

"You should be honoured," he smirked. "No one has ever even come close to finding a trace of me. And now you…"

Kakahsi's head doesn't move, but his eye lazily moved to the Uchiha's pretty face. The masked man would most likely never admit it out loud, especially to the Uchiha himself, but he had a really lovely face. A real pervert deep inside him urged for him to break such delicacy, to touch the doll-like face and break him. But of course he had near steel self control.

Twenty four minutes passed and the conversation that the Uchiha planned wasn't going too well. Thinking hard of topics he could talk about, the Uchiha perked up when something came to mind. He glanced slyly towards the man who looked so into his orange book. "You know… don't think I didn't see those looks you kept giving Iruka-san."

This topic proved to be the best choice, because the man looked up, his usually aloof eye finally looking more than interested. "Oh, really? And what looks were they?"

The sly smirk on the Uchiha's pretty face grew bigger, finding much amusement in this situation. "I don't know. You tell me."

"He's me ex." The Uchiha blinked in surprise. He didn't actually expect the scarecrow to answer him. "We were together in college." Itachi was a little surprised that the man admitted to being gay, but at the same time he wasn't _really_ surprised.

He should probably have been disturbed at how much he was interested. Usually Itachi couldn't care less about relationships and stuff like this, but as the other man answered him, he found himself interested, intrigued even. "Your ex?" He repeated confusingly. "What happened? I couldn't possibly think of something that could've gone wrong with someone like Iruka-san." And he was being honest. He wasn't exactly concentrating on the man's eye, that's why the beautiful Uchiha missed the sudden look of cold irritation that flashed.

"You really like Iruka, don't you?" At the blank look on the Uchiha's dainty face, Kakashi continued. "It was never going to work out; we both knew that from the very beginning."

"Why?"

"Because he wasn't exactly into _**me**_… and I was after someone else."

"He does not seem like the type to…" Itachi trailed off, not knowing exactly what his words were.

"Ask me about who I'm after!" The pervert suddenly exclaim, grinning at Itachi with his eye.

"Hn. Who, prey tell, are you after?"

Kakashi doesn't lower his book, but he gave the Uchiha an exaggerated look. "I said ask me _about_ who I'm after, not _who_ I'm after."

For a passing moment, Itachi wondered who the adult was in the room. "Fine, please tell me about the one you're after. Is it a man too?"

A tiny smile bloomed across Kakashi's lips, but the other man wouldn't know. Even at the thought of talking about _him_, Kakashi felt his chest warm up with a fluttering feeling. "Yep," he replied cheerfully. "He's a man, a very beautiful one and he knows it. We met ages ago, but he doesn't remember me now. He's got other things to worry about, like providing for his family." He glanced at the brunette beauty, hoping to see some form of recognition in his dark eyes. "He's suffered, but I don't think he knows that. And he's a genius too."

"Hmm, this person sounds interesting. I think I like him."

Kakashi smirked. Oh, the irony. "Yes, I thought you would. He liked himself too."

"Where is he now?"

Kakashi thought that a curious Uchiha is a very cute Uchiha. "Oh, he's around, but I told you he doesn't remember me. I watched him grow up, but I wasn't really a big part of his life... at least I don't think I was. Oh, what a troubled life I live!" He followed the statement with a defeated sigh and dramatically hung his head.

The Uchiha looked a little troubled. He wasn't sure if the tears rolling down the scarecrow's face are fake or real. He soon decided that they were fake, because the bigger man even sobbed and sniffed. "Troublesome indeed. Your life is interesting."

"You were supposed to say that you're sorry and try and comfort me. What's wrong with you?"

The thief decided to ignore the question that he knew he wouldn't be able to answer. "Then… why will you not move on?"

"It's love, Itachi." The simple statement was in conflict. Such passionate words along with a fierce glare were said in such a simple, dull way. Just like when Itachi first saw Kakashi in the man's undercover office, his heart fluttered in a soft, delicate way. Only this time, the dainty thief wasn't so sure what the emotion behind it was. The roaring passion in the bigger man's eye intimidated the smaller of the two and he looked away. The door finally opened and the tall, slender woman walked in, her eyes glossy and happy.

"Oh, you guy's are finally here," she slurred.

"We're the one who've been waiting for you. You have no right to say that," the lazy-looking man accused.

Tsunade put down her crate of sake and slipped on a long, white coat. She turned back to them ad her amber eyes were suddenly very, very professional. "Alright, let's get this done with."

Itachi spoke, his voice soft and alluring to the scarecrow's ears. "But first, perhaps you could get these glasses out of me?"

**~xXx~**

The examination went perfectly and flawlessly. Kakashi stayed out of the way and didn't make too many perverted comments. Not more than two hours later they were walking down hallways again. This time Tsunade went with. The pieces of broken glass have been taken from Itachi's wound. He's been bandaged up and Tsunade said that this little injury would not interfere with the transformation. During the examination Itachi had been filled in on what they were going to do to him and how this project came to be. To put it simply, he would become a ninja of some sort. He should have access to this substance called chakra and his body should become that much less fragile, not that he was to begin with.

"Will it hurt?" He asked his companions suddenly.

It was the blond woman that answered him, as the other man was still so deeply buried in his book. How Kakahsi hadn't bumped into anything yet was a mystery. "No, you won't feel anything."

"I'll be unconscious?"

"No." The Uchiha glared at the woman and she went on. "You won't feel the transformation until you step out, but you won't be unconscious. That's all you need to know."

"Hn. Have you done this experiment before?"

"Yes."

"And…?"

"Three out of our four volunteers died. That's why we stopped experimenting and started searching for the DNA that would match the 'chakra'. We found you."

"What happened to the one that survived?" Itachi smirked, because he could see that Tsunade and Kakashi had been hoping that he would miss that part.

"He… went rogue."

"He went rogue… from an experiment?"

"No," the medic snapped, irritated. "He misused his powers and now he's gone out of the city, doing who knows that."

Itachi raised an elegant eyebrow. "Are you afraid I might do the same?"

Tsunade smirked, suddenly looking more intimidating than pretty. "No, that's why we have Kakashi." The Uchiha sent a questioning glance at the silver-haired man and Tsunade caught it. "From the moment he was employed, we had him trained just for the sole purpose of handling you. Even when you've been transformed, he will still be able to match you in strength and speed, therefore keeping you in line. Isn't that right, Kakashi?"

Said man finally looked up. "Hmm? Did you say something?"

"Tsk, don't use that crap on me. It only works with Gai."

They were distracted by a deep, melodic chuckle from the pretty Uchiha. "That's not good. He's already lost one eye before he's even met me. What would happen when I decided to test out my new strength and speed?"

Kakashi huffed behind them and Tsunade glared at him. "You're such a cocky brat. A beautiful face like that is wasted on you."

"It's not wasted. I know _**exactly**_ how to use it," he taunted. At his own statement, he glanced slyly back towards the reading man walking behind them. Said man grinned back.

After a sigh, Tsunade said, "We're here." They stop at a wide, tall metal door that slid open at their movements. And inside… well, that was a shock for the Uchiha. The ceiling was so tall and high up. Along the walls were long tables of computers and digital touch screens. Wires lead from the Computers to a larger machine, and wires lead form the machines to a large sphere filled up with a red liquid that looked too much like blood. "It's not blood," Tsunade said upon looking at his reluctant expression. And right above the gigantic sphere of red liquid were ramps, ones that looked too unstable, with one extension extended to right above the very top of the dome.

He nodded; anything for Sasuke.

Tsunade went her own way, walking towards a man with long, bleached blond hair. Itachi thought that the man looked very much like a girl from Sasuke's class. Ignoring his slight wandering thoughts, he followed the scarecrow look-alike as the other man walked towards to the centre of the gigantic room. The humming of the machines and technologies died down and the room suddenly became too quiet. Itachi turned and looked over his shoulder, startled as the many workers in white coats headed out of the room. The all left one by one until there was only Itachi and Kakashi, along with Tsunade, Jiraiya and a smiling Sarutobi. He turned back to the silver headed man… who had his book tugged safely away in his pocket.

"Are you ready to start?"

Itachi never actually thought of this. All that mattered was the opportunity and benefit the deal offered Sasuke. He knew, more than anything, that he wasn't ready. And that's exactly why he hadn't stopped to carefully think about the situation. For the first time in his life Itachi ignored his brain and followed his heart… because if he stopped for even a tiny second, fear would catch up with him… and that would be the end.

Plus, one thing he learnt form his profession was to never question your client.

"Yes," he softly replied to the older man.

The mysterious looking man stepped backwards and gently took the Uchiha's petite, but oh so dangerous, hand into his own larger one, before pulling and leading the brunette to the far wall behind the sphere of red liquid. They stopped at a steel ladder stuck to the wall that would lead up to the networks of metal ramps. They both paused for a long time. Neither of them willing to let the other's hand go. To Itachi, this calloused, hot hand was the only thing keeping his anxieties at bay, the only thing that is holding him back. To him, this hand was exactly what he needed at this moment. To Kakashi, however, the hand was a symbol that spat in his face and taunt at him what he could never have. How such a pale, delicate little thing could bring forth so much pain and anguish was not a mystery to the scarecrow.

But eventually he'd have to let go, just like he'd done many times before.

Gently, as if the slightest wrong movement would break the fragile looking hand, Kakashi pulled his hand back. "Climb onto me," he gently said. At the confused look from the Uchiha, he went on. "We don't want to risk anything. You need to be relaxed; climbing this ladder will not help you. Now climb on."

No being able to come up with a reason to argue, the Uchiha slowly, hesitantly, stepped out of his slippers and onto the cold floor. Kakashi turned his back to the Uchiha and leaned forward a little, poised in a piggy back position. Itachi lifted his right leg up and placed it at the older man's waist from behind and Kakashi grabbed said leg. With a little jump, Itachi was on the scarecrow's back, his long arms held tightly, yet gently around the older man's shoulders.

"I need to climb," Kakashi said. Itachi immediately understood. He flattened himself against the larger man and wrapped his legs around to the front, before locking his ankles together. He tightened his grip. "Ugh, 'ey! Don't suffocate me," Kakashi grunted and Itachi loosened his grip, smiling softly. He was safe, Itachi knew that. They wouldn't fall, because there was no doubt in his mind that Kakashi was more than strong enough to climb even with Itachi on his back.

They ascended. Kakashi's movements were strong and solid, yet so graceful and confident. _'This was pure, well-earned strength'_, Itachi thought and for a second, he almost felt ashamed that he would be just as strong as Kakashi, only he didn't earn his strength. He would get it for free. His light hand felt a strong muscle shift under his palm and his heartbeat suddenly escalated. A hot, searing sensation shot from where his heart was, all over his chest and up to his face, rendering him speechless. He felt his face heated up and was very glad no one could see him at that moment.

His heart fluttered again… and he couldn't know if it was a bad feeling or a good one.

Kakashi must have felt his thundering heartbeat through Itachi's robe and his own shirt that separated them, because he paused for a slight second on the ladder and spoke. "Everything will be okay, Itachi. You have nothing to fear." He went back to climbing, not even sweating as much as a normal person would have.

Without knowing why, Itachi found himself trusting the pervert too much for his liking. Kakashi said that he had nothing to fear… and he wasn't able to stop himself from believing in those words.

They finally stopped after climbing for what seemed like hours to the small thief. With a slight swing from Kakashi, Itachi landed softly on the steel ramp, the cold digging into his bare feet. Kakashi landed afterwards. With a warm comforting hand on Itachi's shoulder from behind, Kakashi gently pushed the pale Uchiha towards the centre-top of the sphere.

All of a sudden, Itachi asked, "What was that ring I nearly stole off you?"

"It belonged… belongs to someone important."

"The same someone that you are after?"

"Yes." A strange, swelling sensation filled the Uchiha's chest, but he filed it away for now. They stop once they both stood over the large sphere. The vermilion liquid shifted and swirled beneath them. From afar Itachi had thought that the substance looked quite hostile, but now it was different. The redness called to him, as if it was a colour that had known him for a long time. It didn't look beautiful or pretty, but alluring and inviting, irresistible.

"It's ready!" Jiraiya yelled from below them.

Itachi looked back up and to Kakashi. "How long will I have to be in there?" He furrowed his thin eyebrows.

"A long time. Days for all I know."

"Yes, that sounds reasonable." He stepped towards Kakashi in a way that was meant to be intimidating. "I hope whatever that substance is, that I can breathe in it."

Kakashi smiled under his dark mask. "Don't worry, no harm will come to you, I promise."

Itachi blinked. He didn't know how to react to something like this.

"Come on! Get a move on!" Jiraiya yelled again.

They both ignored the long, white haired man. "Shall I say goodbye?" Itachi asked.

"Naa," was Kakashi's lazy reply. "I'll see you in a few."

Itachi nodded and silently stepped backwards and down the short ladder that lead back down onto the open top of the sphere. There was something big waiting for him in the globe… and excitement coursed through him like lightning. He let go of the ladder and, before he was completely engulfed in the red liquid, took a deep breath out of human instinct.

The sensation that hit him wasn't cold, as he'd expected, nor was it warm. When the red substance had touched him, it felt as though a strong gust of window blew all around his body, before everything settled and he felt nothing. He'd tried to see through the redness and through the thick glass to the people outside, but it was scarlet all around. Suddenly he felt like a child, self-conscious and shy. He felt that the white bathrobe did nothing to shield his body from the prying eyes. But, he was confident in his body, so confident that he'd used it to get what he wanted many, many countless times before.

Thin, delicate tendrils of something blue came from the edge of the glass dome and slowly drawls towards Itachi. The very first tendril of what he would guess was 'chakra' touched onto his cheek and many thousands more joined it. It was a cool sensation. He closed his eyes and felt life pouring into him. Slowly, he started losing feelings of his body and forgot to breath. Many hours later and all he felt was the loud, yet delicate beating of his heart. He let the wondrous beat lull him to sleep.

**~xXx~**

The boy in the dome was beautiful, and they all saw it. Strangely enough, his skin remained a porcelain colour despite being surrounded by red. He didn't know what was on the others' minds, but in his, Itachi was beautiful. His book was forgotten for the moment as he stared adoringly at the stilled figure. It's been three days and bright, blue chakra continued to flow into the beautiful body. Kakashi'd been here every hour possible, only going away for toilet breaks and to eat. Many other workers found this strange, but they don't matter. He had his reasons.

He fingered the small ring in his pocket. It was cold, but just by touching it, he felt that much closer to the man he loves.

Suddenly, the chakra ceased to flow, and the slender body twitched. His heart leaped in excitement. Kakashi raced out of the massive lab and to the office of Sarutobi.

"He's ready. It stopped," he politely said, but he was more than sure that the old man heard the joy in his voice.

The old man, who's always been old to anyone who new him, stood up eagerly and glided out of the room, his old age not hindering him at all. Kakashi followed obediently. They entered the giant room again and Kakashi's eyes went back straight to the being too beautiful to be human. He let the people who know what they're doing do their job; all the while he never took his eye off of Itachi. _'It's unbearable,'_ he thought, '_took have to do this everyday_'. And truly it was. To love someone so much, with everything you have, only for that person to not remember a thing about you. But Kakashi wouldn't have it any other way if it meant that Itachi wouldn't have to suffer.

The glass globe was now empty of the red substance. Itachi lay motionless at the bottom of the sphere. Kakashi walked up to the glass dome and placed a hand on the glass. He waited and waited, when finally Itachi opened his eyes.

"Itachi," Kakashi said. "Are you alright?" He knew the answer, but he still needed to hear it from Itachi, only then can he rest.

Itachi blinked a few times in utter confusion. Kakashi was talking to him, he knew that much. He knew it was Kakashi because, strangely enough, he recognised that voice… he knew that voice. He was on the other side of the thick glass and his voice was muffled, but Itachi heard. He carefully analysed the question that Kakashi had asked him. Was he alright? Of course he was. He was more than alright. His muscles felt so much stronger, buzzing to be used and to exercise. His head was clearer, no longer clouded with humane fears and fragility. He felt so full, so ready!

"Yes," he whispered, but his voice was hoarse from not being used for days. "Get me out," he commanded.

Kakashi smiled in relief. "Get out yourself. Jump up and climb up the ladder; you should be able to now."

Slightly confused, the young Uchiha slowly stood up and looked straight up at the ladder. Licking his lips he bent down, before jumping straight up and onto the steel ladder. He gasped in surprised, before an excited smile bloomed across his beautiful face. Instead of walking on the ramps and climbing down the ladder to the ground, he turned and looked down at Kakashi. The other man was looking up at him, silently telling him not to do whatever he had in mind. An eager squeak passed from Itachi's lips, but he had already jumped. He'd expected to just go straight down, but somehow he had more momentum and was flying across the room. He'd also expected to be in so much pain when he landed, but his landing was graceful and polished.

He could get used to this… he rally could.

A large hand roughly grabbed his shoulder from behind and spun him around. "Are you hurt?" Though the question was supposed to sound caring, the tone was angry and harsh.

"Of course not," he answered Kakashi.

Kakashi stared intensely into dark grey eyes, hoping for that glimpse of familiarity, for a glimpse of his Itachi. But he got nothing. Itachi stared back at him, not recognising him as he should, not jumping into his arms in delight. Kakashi didn't understand. He'd talked to the three elders. When they transformed Itachi, he should've been able to remember everything! He should've gotten strong enough to endure the pain that came with the memories! He should have remembered the days they spent together, the many things they did as friends… as…! But Itachi didn't show any signs of remembering him at all. He was a stranger to this beautiful boy…

"Well… don't do that again," the masked man snapped, turning swiftly and stalking out of the large hall, his heart torn to shreds once more, as it had years ago.

The newly awakened ex-thief watched his captor go; wondering if jumping down from the globe was really that bad. The masked man was upset with him, and Itachi felt a quenching sensation in his chest. Not only was Kakashi upset, but he seemed so very depressed too.

'_Did I do something wrong?_' He asked himself.

**~xXx~**

_Sarutobi had been a wonderful, wise man, his decisions were never wrong and his intentions were never harmful to anyone. He was a good man, which was why Kakashi was so loyal to him. So when the old man kindly asked him to go and meet with Uchiha Madara, a genius that has potential in the Lab, he was more than willing. The seventeen year old Kakashi had been eager to meet a genius, because when Sarutobi called someone a genius, he most likely meant it literally._

_On that day, Uchiha Madara was babysitting for his younger brother, looking after his two nephews, so Kakashi had been instructed to go to the little house. It was five in the after noon when he pulled into the driveway of the little two storey house. He knocked on the wooden door in a lazy style, looking aloof. The door swung open, but he was met with thin air. He blinked in confusion, before guessing that he must let himself in. He only took half a step forward, before a yelp was heard and he was forced to look down. _

_His only visible eye widened as he took in the wide black eyes, brimming at the edge with unshed tears and the hurt look. But after the shock of knowing that he nearly trampled a child, the pure beauty of the small boy finally struck him in the head. The child was small; he had to be for Kakashi __**not**__ to see him! He looked to be about six or seven, with delicate little arms and legs and long black hair. He had a pretty face, was what went through the silver-head's head; A small, round face, with a dainty nose and coral-coloured lips, abyss-like eyes surrounded by long, mysterious lashes. He had the type of face that you know you must protect, must shield from the world. The teenager's heart beat loudly, as if trying to prove a point. It was almost like falling in love…_

_The startling thought woke him up real good._

_It was wrong, wrong in so many ways and just pure forbidden. He'd think about this later, he thought to himself._

"_Sorry," he said, grinning with his eye. "I didn't see you there." The small boy looked hurt and he immediately regretted his words. "Mah… you are so small and short that my eyes didn't take you in, so sorry." Was it just him, or was his mouth working on its own?_

_Before the newly self-confessed pervert could think, the little hurt boy had moved forward, grabbed the teenager by his right hand and took a bite. Of course, Kakashi had been trained, so the bite barely hurt, but it was still so cute to watch the little raven-head try. Much later, it would disturb the last remaining Hatake that he would feel such things for a boy ten years his junior, but until that time comes, he'll indulge. _

"_Itachi!" _

_Tiny shoulders flinched and moved back, his cheeks peachy from embarrassment as his uncle, whom he practically worshipped, stepped forward and gave him a stern look. He'd always been able to control his emotions, something that the child prided himself in, but this older boy riled him up. There wasn't a need for him to rub it in Itachi's face; he'd already known he was small. And the older boy had said all those mean things with a smile on his face. Itachi wanted to hurt him and his hand was the only thing that he could reach._

"_Itachi that is my guest. Apologise to him now." _

"_Sorry," the word was said almost immediately. The child was obedient, Kakashi thought. _

"_Kakashi-san, please come in," Madara said, but Kakashi's attention had already been snatched. The meeting went well. Uchiha Madara was truly a genius, Sarutobi would be pleased to have him on the team… but Kakashi hardly cared. With every word that he exchanged with the Uchiha, a small, pale face plagued his mind, leaving it restless and wanting more._

"Itachi?"

Said boy looked up at the white haired man. "Yes, Jiraiya-sama?"

"The car is ready. And the old man said that it was fine, you can go out, but only for today. We think you've got enough control of your powers to go out and not hurt anyone, but Kakashi will still have to go with you."

A genuine smile bloomed on the ex-thief's pale face. "Hai, thank you. Can I go now?"

Jiraiya only got on nod in, before the boy fled the room, becoming a blur. In him, there was one part that was just so very excited that something so extraordinary and supernatural could exist, but another pitied the young boy greatly. Konoha has a lot of enemies, and it would not be long before words get out that Konoha no Sato has created another 'Shinobi'. The last time it had happened, Uchiha Madara had turned on them and fled with the powers that Konoha had given him. It was ironic… that another Uchiha would be the next one. But… would this one turn on them too?

Itachi could not be happier. He'd been allowed outside… this would be the first time since he came in here, and that was five months ago. His legs carried him as fast as they would go, before coming to a complete halt at the lift. Kakashi was waiting in there. The weasel quietly got in and the door closed. The lift took them up. Every now and then, Itachi would glance at the bigger man, or sometimes he would just out right stare. Kakashi trained him to control his abilities as if the man really knew what it was like to have such powers, and Kakashi stayed by his side as his job required him to, but Itachi knew that the man was displeased. The man seemed withdrawn, unlike the first day they met.

Itachi knew he was the reason.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked the silver-headed man. This was not the first time. Every time they were alone, Itachi would ask him that.

And everytime, the reply would be, "No. It's just been a rough day."

They got off the lift and stepped over to the car waiting for them. Kakashi took the driver's seat, hands on the wheel and ready to get out of there. Itachi, on the other hand, took his time, despite his excitement to see his brother once more. He'd been seeing things in his sleep, but he wasn't so stupid as to assume they were dreams. They were more than that, so real, so sensational and precious that he wondered how he'd forgotten them. But… he hadn't seen enough to fully remember it all. He'd always wondered why there were a few hours missing after his paarent's death. He remembered every detail, from coming home to find his parent's mutilated bodies and everything after that. But someone came, someone took him to the side… and a few hours worth of memories went missing.

He got in the car, silent as they day he was born as they drove out of the underground Lab.

"_Why are you around so much? Uncle Madara doesn't baby-sit us anymore."_

_The silver haired man grinned. "Of course not. He works now. So I'm here on his request. I'm babysitting you."_

"_I'm nine. I don't need to be babysat. I'm more than capable of taking care of Sasuke and myself."_

"_Yep, yep, that's what they all say." He suddenly brought out his new-most precious possession; his book. _

_The smaller boy went back to his homework and Kakashi watched. He was truly sorry for the boy. His parents are always out, working and trying to pay for their debts, leaving their oldest son to fend for himself and their youngest to grow up with only the love of a brother. He watched carefully, over the brim of his book, as a frown marred the doll-like face. "Your homework hard?" He asked lazily. He already knew that they boy would deny it. He had such pride for such a young boy. Itachi shook his head, his hair falling around his face. With a tired sigh, he scooted over behind the boy and looked over his shoulders. The homework was quite difficult; it was something that you'd see in a high school. What was Itachi doing with these types of equations? _

"_My teacher has a daughter in high school. I requested a copy of her homework."_

_Kakashi smiled. Itachi had, without even looking, understood him. _

_Who was he to kid? In the end, after two years, he'd been too weak, too helpless against the beauty that was Uchiha Itachi. He couldn't stay away. What made it worse was the guilt that came with this horrid obsession. The boy was nine, for goodness' sake! But… as he looked at the surreal boy then… he couldn't seem to bring himself to care so much. How was he to back off now that he's gone too deep? _

_He placed a large hand on the small head. How easily it would break, he thought. He gently tilted the head back, so that their eyes would meet. "Itachi," he started, his goofy, perverted grin for once not in place. "I'm here, okay? My and your uncle are here for you. You take good care of your brother, but you need to be taken care of too. Just… call my name."_

_The boy, the beautiful, alluring boy blinked with his large dark eyes, so clueless and naïve! The one-eyed man leaned in, so very close to his lips… and it took everything that made him Hatake Kakashi, every molecule in his body to change course and instead place his covered lips on the smooth forehead. _

"_Itachi, a weasel, a bad omen… you'll break me apart, tear me to pieces and render me a man who devotes his live to you. What more could you want? What more can you get from me?"_

_Itachi blinked in confusion. _

"You said it's your brother's birthday, didn't you? Do you want to stop somewhere to get him a gift?"

Itachi looked over at the man, startled. Kakashi'd spoken to him… that made him feel good. But… Kakahsi only spoke to him about necessities, not on his own will. And Itachi would realise that Kakashi wanted something from him… something that he cannot give.

"Yes please," was the weasel's quiet reply. The months he spent in the Lab was interesting… but somehow, when Kakashi ceased to speak to him, when the man only spent time with him because he had to… he'd broken down. His cocky attitude, gain through his years of experience as a thief, dulled. And it was all Kakashi's fault. What does the man want?

In the end Itachi ended up getting Sasuke a pair sunglasses. The younger had always complained that during the summer, when the sun was ever so bright, his eyes stun. And it had always hurt Itachi that they cannot afford to go and see a doctor about it. Hopefully, this one would make Sasuke's pain less mortifying. Plus, they'd never have enough money, and Itachi wasn't used to buying gifts. He also got a small card for his brother's thirteenth birthday… and a small box of condom, just for a bout of teasing. It just wouldn't be right to not embarrass his otouto in front of the blond Naruto, whom Sasuke spoke off so much during their phone calls.

It didn't take long before they were in the car once more, driving to Umino Iruka's place.

Itachi would grimace every once in a while. The experiment, the transformation had changed him greatly. He was so much faster, capable of things that he once thought impossible. He had so much power in his little body. Jiraiya had commented on how ironic it all was. With all of this power, all of this strength in one's body, he understood perfectly why the last person to be transformed went rogue. Once in a while, during his trainings and trying to perfect his control of his chakra, Itachi would be tempted to run away and use his powers for himself too. And he had so much potential too; he'd already nearly got complete control of his chakra. But… just up and running… and leaving Kakashi seemed so wrong to the weasel. The older man had worked so hard, did everything in his powers to be at his level. Kakashi had earned his strength. And Itachi, who'd got it because he had something in his genes, got it all for free… almost. It just wouldn't seem fair…

"Itachi-san! Kakashi-san!" Iruka's surprised claim greeted them. "Sasuke-kun will be so happy! Please come in!"

The house was, as Itachi expected, homey and warm. There were birthday decorations up on the walls and windows, which the weasel suspected was against his brother's wishes.

And there he was, the birthday boy, standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking shocked.

Itachi forced a smile to his face. "Hello little brother," he said.

It hurt him; it hurt him so bad to see how much Sasuke had missed out on when they were living together. And here, in this lovely home, the boy had everything that he needed… and it hurt to know that he wasn't the one giving it to him. If this continued, would his little brother eventually forget him? Would they grow apart and he would become a stranger to the boy? Those depressing thoughts, however, vanished when he felt arms wrap around his waist and a face buried in his chest. His brother was fast.

"Happy Birthday, otouto," he said. The arms around his waist tightened. The older of the two noticed that his brother had grown… a lot and stronger too. '_It won't be long,_' he thought, _'before he's bigger than me_'.

"You came!" A loud, boisterous voice yelled, before Itachi felt another pair of arms around his middle. "Ha-ha, how do you like your surprise, Teme?"

Said 'Teme' growled at the blonde boy. "You've never met him face to face, Dobe! Don't hug a stranger!"

"Hey! I've talked to him on the phone and the video phone before! He's not a stranger to me! Plus, I think he likes me more than you! Nyah!" A pink tongue poked out as the little blond boy ran away, no doubt fully aware of the threat that Sasuke posed. Arms retract from his middle section as his little brother ran after the blonde, whiskered boy… also known as Naruto. Itachi watched them run around the living room.

"I feel so ignored," he said miserably, too quiet for anyone else to hear.

The party, if one could call it that, went surprisingly well. An hour and a half after Kakashi and Itachi arrived; a few more of Sasuke's friends came. The birthday boy revealed to his beloved aniki that the guests that came were, in fact, not his guests, but Naruto's. Although it didn't look like the younger Uchiha would complain. Most of them were kids, though, so in the end, Kakashi and Itachi ended up sitting with Iruka outside, drinking tea.

Itachi felt bad for Iruka, truly, for he had no choice but to sit there, drinking tea with the two of them, one of which won't even look away from his book. But, it seemed that Iruka was more familiar with Kakashi than the young raven-head thought, for he suddenly brought out papers. "I'm sorry, Itachi-kun, but I have to mark these papers. Umm… you could…" The tan man seemed apologetic enough, so Itachi took pity on him.

"It's fine, Iruka-san. I… I will take this time to meditate." He needn't worry to keep the big secret from Iruka, as the old Hokage had told him that the school teacher had figured the secret out during his years in college with Kakashi. Itachi would never admit it, never ever, but he was jealous, envious of the scarred man that he would know so much about Kakashi, when there was no doubt in Itachi's mind that Kakashi and himself have had more history… it was just that Itachi couldn't remember.

The brown-skinned man nodded apologetically once more, before becoming utterly engulfed in his work. Kakashi didn't say a word… and Itachi felt a slight, hurtful tug in his heart. They had gotten long so well, he thought, before he got his powers. Was that it then? Was Kakashi angry at what had happened to him? Was the older man mad that Itachi had gotten all this power without working for it? Or was there another reason altogether?

Pity… And Itachi was really starting to like the silver-haired man too…

"_You still think I don't notice," the young Itachi said. "But I do. When will you stop treating me like a child?"_

"_I don't know. Now tell me… what exactly is this thing that you notice about me, hmm?"_

_The small, dainty face bloomed into an adorable blush. Coral-coloured lips parted many times in an attempt to form words. "We… I-I don't… I wouldn't know how to say…" And Kakashi swore it was one of the most adorable sigh he's ever seen, but it was hard to decide for him, since he's been around the weasel a lot. _

"_Then don't say it," Kakashi told the thirteen year old boy. _

_Annoyance flashed in abyss-like eyes, before disappearing just as fast as it had come. "Stop fooling around," he said lowly, a tinge of snap in his soft voice. "Who are you trying to fool? I do notice! I notice all the time, every time you stare and think no one was watching you, every time you frown and snap your book shut when you see anyone else near me. What are you trying to do?"_

"_You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Itachi. Stop before it's too late," he brought his book closer to his face, despite already having a mask to cover himself with. The boy was doing this on prepose! He knew how crazy Kakashi was for him! He knew how much he wanted him… and yet he was saying these things, these alluring, tempting things when he __**knew**__ perfectly just how __**forbidden**__ it was! _

"_But…" the boy started. "But you do… want it, don't you?" Kakashi watched warily as the little mink scooted closer, his movements still unsure and innocent. The pale, beautiful face crumpled up in confusion and struggle. And only moments later did Kakashi realise how difficult it must be for the young boy. Uchiha Itachi was and always will be a boy who will have a struggle saying what he feels. Kakashi let his hand be taken in much smaller ones, he let his hand be guided to doll-like face. Kakashi, however, did not let the boy speak. Who knew what he would say next, who knew what effect it could have on him. _

"_Do you know what this is? Do you know the consequences?" He kept his voice low; there was no need to wake the young Sasuke up at this time of the night. _

_Another look of annoyance passed through his Uchiha's face, this time with a tinge of mocking. "Of course I do. Who do you think I am? I knew it the moment you gave me my tenth birthday present." Oh yes, how could Kakashi forget? Just when he thought that the boy couldn't be more desirable, just when he thought that Itachi couldn't be more irresistible… the boy ended up being both. So, in order to gain just a little bit of control over his mind, he'd gotten the boy a ring. It was just a plain, silver ring that weighted more than it looked. There was a place on the ring with enough room to carve a word into… and Kakashi was so tempted to put his name on the ring before he gave it to the young Uchiha, but in the end decided against it. But the point was that he hated that ring; hated everything about it, hated the way it looked, hated the way it clung onto the young Uchiha, something that he doubt he would be able to do. _

_That ring clung onto Itachi's right ring finger now, never seeming to get too tight or too loose… and it didn't look like it would go anywhere soon. If there was just one thing on the Uchiha that he hated enough… then he would back off. He'd be able to resist the call of the Uchiha for a little longer…_

"_Are you disgusted? Do you despise having an old man like lust after you like this? Do you hate how I look at you, how I could never seem to stay away… when I tried so hard?" He had to know. He had to know, if this was going to be a goodbye. _

_The two marble-like hands tightened around his big one, feeling like feather touch. Such delicate little things they were, but still ever so dangerous. "If I was disgusted, and hated the way you were… even for a little, then you'd be gone by now. If I hadn't welcomed it… then I would have never allowed you to come by every week like this. I was disturbed… for a little while, but you kept coming back, and even though you looked at me like that, you never made any attempt to touch me."_

"_Unlike many others… right?"_

_Itachi nodded, but now was not the time to go into that subject. _

"_It wouldn't be right," the older man said slowly. "It wouldn't be right for you; not the kind of thing you should get involved with."_

_Dark, alluring eyes stared at him, through him. "It wouldn't be by force… should you choose to…"_

_Ah, how could any man resist now? How could any one expect Kakashi to let go and go home that night without placing a kiss on the Uchiha's plump lips? And how could anyone blame him… when he was happy and smiling at work all week long? How can a man be blamed for loving so much?_

"You have to come back soon, you promise?" His little brother's demanding voice woke him up at last. "Whatever it is that you're doing, just know that I can take care of myself now. You can stop working so hard."

"You can take care of yourself? Then make sure to use my gifts properly, we wouldn't want anything unexpected," Itachi followed the statement with a shy smile, a smile that he knew his little brother cannot work against.

The innocent smile, however, could not hold Sasuke's hiss back. "Ah, now that Iruka-sensei's seen that, he's bound to give me and Naruto the talk." The younger of the two narrowed his eyes, promising revenge. "I'll get you back."

Moving swiftly, Itachi gently, yet desperately brought his brother to his arms, troubled yet so proud that the boy was tall enough now that Itachi needn't bend down so much. "Call and talk to me everyday, tell me about your school and your friends… tell me everything," he said into the boy's dark hair. "You mustn't leave anything out."

"I'm not going to forget you, aniki. I won't."

They stayed in each other's embrace for a little longer, before they were forced apart and Itachi was on his way back to the Lab that had become his new home. The ride back was longer than he remembered and Kakashi refused to say a word to him once more and the ache in his chest came back. The night was young yet and traffic was heavy. Both men doubted that they'd get back within the hour.

"I wonder what it was that I did to make you ignore my existence like this," Itachi said, his chin on his palm on the window and looking out. The tone he used was light and relaxed, as if commenting on the weather, but Kakashi knew better. "It was around the time of my transformation, right afterwards I think. I wonder what it was that you expected." He finally turned his dark eyes to the older man. "Everyone expected me to be much stronger, and I was. They expected me to have an enormous amount of chakra, and I did. They expected me to be a shinobi that would fight for Konoha, and I will be when I'm ready. But what did _you_ expect? What was it that you wanted that I could not be? What did you want from me?" Could anyone blame him if pearly tears gathered at the brim of his eyes?

The masked man kept his hands on the steering wheel, knuckles whitening with the force the hands applied. The muscles on his neck tensed and flexed as a war began in his head. Even if his head wasn't turned to the boy next to him, even if his eyes weren't on the pretty boy... he was aware, he was so very aware of the gleaming tears, threatening to overflow. And it must be painful, he knew, because it took a lot, it took so much to bring the Uchiha Itachi to this near tears state. But he couldn't. He couldn't reach over, could brush the cheeks that he once felt, could caress the pretty face, could hold the lithe body to his, because all that was needed was one little touch, just one tiny little touch and he would lose it. With just one little touch, his control would snap, would break and shatter into unfixable pieces and then… he just knew he would do something he'd regret for the rest of his life… maybe longer.

And so Kakashi sat like a statue… and unmoving, ignorant statue, and for that he would remain unaware of the shattering that Itachi's heart was going through.

"You don't play with broken toys, do you Kakashi?" Itachi averted his gaze back out the window once more. "They were so much fun when they were new and untouched, but then they were broken and so breakable, but you don't care, you've had your fun, right? Why would you care now that they were broken?" The tears finally rolled down his pale cheeks, but his face remained blank, his eyes the only way to identify his utter pain.

He was in love, did anyone know? Hatake Kakashi was in love, a man in love.

With a sudden flick of his arms, Kakashi sent the car to the side and to a complete stop off the side of the road, ignoring the honking of other cars and their cries of displeasure. He kicked his door open, the lock flipping off somewhere. With a quiet growl, he turned and pulled Itachi's seatbelt off, the lock coming off with the belt, and dragged the Uchiha by the waist out through the driver's seat. Throwing the light body over his shoulder, he stormed off from the road and deep into thing forest to the side. Who cared if other people saw them? He had the government and the Hokage on his side, after all. The male on his broad shoulder didn't move, didn't struggle and Kakashi knew that Itachi was curious as to what he would do.

When he was sure that his temper had calmed down enough, he stopped his stalking and set the Uchiha down against a tree, slamming his palms against the rough surface of the tree and leaning his head down, breathing hard. Kakashi didn't like his temper, it was dangerous and unpredictable, that's why he never allowed it to show.

Itachi watched warily as the bigger man stood over him, trapping him with his strong arms. What had him speechless was Kakashi eye; it was no longer droopy and lazy looking, but fully open and so very sharp. He was afraid to move, because it looked like it could catch even the slightest movement. "I said something wrong? Did I hit a nerve?"

"Sometime…" Kakashi growled, his voice vibrating into Itachi and sounding too much like an animal's growl. "Sometime you need to learn to shut your mouth!"

A yelp of surprise barely left Itachi's lips, before another set slammed onto his, instantly bruising it. And all too suddenly, it was like a flood, so strong and uncontrollable, overwhelming and completely unstoppable. There was a moment of silence, the calm before the storm, before said storm arrived in the form of a demanding tongue. It was so demanding, so passionate that Itachi was rendered a shivering mess, his legs barely holding him up against the tree. He could do nothing else but submit, because it felt so right, so precise to just bow down to the storm lest he risked angering it anymore. And it was the right thing to do, because then he felt it everywhere! He felt _him_ everywhere! Kakashi was just so possessive, so territorial! He explored everything; the roof of his mouth, the inside of his cheeks, his gum, under his tongue before finally daring Itachi's tongue out into a dance.

Something burned deep within him, before Itachi finally realised that he was still human… and needed to breathe. He broke away with a deep, loud gasp, his head dizzied and his chest heaving up and down, greedily taking in rich oxygen. His knees finally gave out and he collapsed, only to be caught by calloused hands by the waist. And even as he caught his much needed breath back, Itachi felt more than anything that Kakashi was still in his state of anger, and was more like an aggressive animal than a man. He needed to treed carefully, unless he be torn apart by this more than capable man.

"Are you saying sorry? Are you going to play with me again, this broken toy of yours?"

There was a slight munching sound, before the lips that were just kissing him was on his throat, kissing and biting. Itachi regretted that he hadn't a chance to look at the man's face, though he was sure that he'd seen it before in his forgotten memories. The roughness of the tree dug into his back and he arched to lessen the discomfort, only to freeze when the _thing_ poked his stomach! That thing that was big, and hot, and hard! He gently put his hands on the other man's shoulders, stressed at how little they looked against the broadness of the other's shoulders. And yet he made no attempt to push Kakashi away.

There was a nip at the skin on his neck and he was forced once more by his body to arch, his eyebrows crunching in deep pleasure. When was the last time? …When was the last time that someone had touched him this way? Never, he's never been touched like this, but he knew he had, because these touches were familiar! There was that one last gap of memory that he needed to remember.

"… Didn't toss you aside, never ever! I locked you away, put you somewhere safe, so you wouldn't break any further."

For the first time since this while thing began, Itachi regretted speaking in this coded language. How was he to understand that? What did Kakashi mean?

"You have no idea… no idea what it's like… to have something, someone that you want to desperately dangled right in front of you, training without his shirt on, sweating everyday, only to realise that that was _the_ one person that you cannot have. You have no idea!" Itachi felt the other's face buried in his shoulder.

"But I do know, I know very well," he wheezed, breathless as the arms around him tightened. He wrapped his thin arms around the head of the older man and pulled him closer, if possible, till they were as close as they could be without becoming one person altogether. The elder was in pain, and it did not bode well with the Uchiha. "Tell me, Kakashi, who it is that you cannot have. No, ignore that, just tell me, give me one good reason why you cannot have me. Could it be that you cannot have me now because I don't remember you? Because I do remember, I remember you… I remember everything there is to remember. So tell me now why you don't want me, why you ignore me everyday."

They were lies of course… Itachi didn't remember _everything_ yet…

The whole forest suddenly seemed too quiet, as if everything was listening to them, so interested in this human tirade. Kakashi let his mind go numb; let his mind have its own little heart-attack. Was it true; was it true that his Itachi remember again? ...Remembered everything? Almost as if doing so would help answer his many questions, he took a deep, longing breath, delighting in the enticing smell that was pure Itachi. But, truly, in the end, Kakashi was just one man. Every man had his limits, and even though he's postponed his reaching his limit for years now, it seemed that the time has come. "I hope you realise what you did," he growled into the Uchiha's silky hair. "I won't be able to stop. By telling me that you remembered, you just took away my only reason for not having you."

"Hn," he replied, because Uchiha Itachi had a plan.

"_Vermilion?" The Uchiha said questioningly. "Why did you use that word?"_

_The out-in-the-open pervert grinned with his only visible eye. "Maa, Itachi-chan, it suits you just fine don't you think? It's such a special word, but nobody bothers using it anymore. It's definitely your colour."_

_Itachi looked curiously at his ring, the ring that his Kakashi gave him for his tenth birthday. The little space on the ring, where it was once empty, now had a carving of the kanji for 'vermilion'. It was done in such delicate finesse. The fourteen year old was quite curious. No matter how much he grew physically, the ring always seemed to fit his right ring finger. He used to think that the ring was just there, as a reminder that Kakashi had been the one to give it to him, but it meant a whole lot more. _

"_Whenever I imagined you angry, this colour would appear in my head. And when I imagine you sad, or happy, or just plain bored, it'd always be this colour. Plus, it's such a romantic colour. This is the colour of the walls in the room that Taka and Saki made love for the first time. Jiraiya went into such detail to describe the love they feel for each other… that man is a genius I'm telling you."_

_Itachi raised a fine eyebrow, but decided not to comment, because he wasn't sure what to say, but a smile was on his face nonetheless. In his own little way, Itachi found that Kakashi was quite… cute… when he was going on about his perverted books. He continued to run his fingers through the wide silver hair on top of Kakashi's head. "How do you always find time to come to me, hmm? Don't you work?"_

"_Of course I do, but how could I not come to you when I know that you're alone and mine for the taking?" A perverted giggle followed the comment. _

_And once more Itachi found it impossible not to smile at the eccentric man's manner. _

"_Keep that ring on, Itachi. Keep it on, until you're old enough, and I'm sure that I won't hurt you."_

"_You won't hurt me," he whispered. "I cannot be hurt, if it was you…"_

_(Light Yaoi Ahead: treed at your own risk… the risk of yaoi addiction! Muwahahahaaa!!)_

He gasped, from the sensation that the piece of memory brought and the sensation of reality. In the midst of memories and realities, he'd not paid any attention, which made him wonder when and how they'd gotten naked so fast. But that was nothing compared to what he felt when his mind caught up to his body. He gasped, "Ahh!" His fingers tightened on Kakashi's naked shoulders, both lovers as pale as the moon, their skin glowing unearthly against the darkness of the forest. "Oh!" He'd been stretched; he felt that, but quite properly. His left leg was slung over Kakashi's bent right arm. And… and the man was taking him so savagely, but… but he loved every bit of it!

Itachi only got one proper look at Kakashi's face, but that was more than enough, and his heart melted at the face of his Kakashi. He had a handsome face, a look that was purely Kakashi, nothing special or outstanding, just an average, handsome face.

Kakashi lifted him up more, until only the tip of his toe touched the ground. He felt the slight, pleasurable sting at his rear, always itching for more of the man known as Kakashi, because in the end, only this guy can make him whole. "M-more!" He whined into the other's shoulder, his breath hitching as sweat rolled down his brows. The needy thrusts that sent his mind whirling increased in speed and force, and Itachi could do no more than open himself up for Kakashi and make sounds he didn't know he could make. But that was all he could do, because the love and the passion that Kakashi poured into him overwhelmed him completely. He'd never ever, felt anything like it. It was all so hot, so consuming and absolutely exhilarating! It was going to eat him whole and take everything he had in him. He hadn't known that a human being could _feel_ like this!

"Ka-Kakashi!" He couldn't say anymore, only gasps and mewls escaped him, as pleasurable black dots danced around his vision and ecstasy ran through his veins. Kakashi was taking him… against a tree! And he felt everything, from the barks that dig into his naked back to the slaps that Kakashi's testicles made against his bottom. Kakashi owned him, owned him in everyway, deep inside him, physically and mentally. No one could blame him when everything in him tightened and he came with a startled yelp. And, of course, no one could blame him too if he accidentally bit into the other man's shoulder, after all, one bite was nothing compared to all the marks Kakashi'd left on his body. Kakashi's powerful body continued to thrust into him, strong arms holding him so tightly. They were touching so much that Itachi felt the bumps that made up Kakashi's stomach, his six… or was it eight, packs.

It wasn't long before the older man came with a powerful growl, marking and claiming his Uchiha as if tomorrow would never come. And Itachi felt the love… no, love just wasn't strong enough a word to describe all of this. _This_ was something that took years and constant self refrain to develop, and now… it felt as if every force in the world wanted them together, as if there was nothing that could put a hitch to it.

Half an hour later, as he'd suspected, Itachi wasn't able to walk on his own. His rear burned horribly and his hips hurt from the force of Kakashi's grip, bruised. His legs still felt like jelly, unable to fully support the young Uchiha. So, as on the way they'd come, Kakashi had to carry the little Uchiha back to the car, silent as they way they got there. After all, what was there to say? There was so much confusion between them, but neither could deny that there was definitely something much stronger there too.

Itachi wanted answers, but he shouldn't need answers, because according to Kakashi he had all his memories. How could he tell the older man now that he lied, that he had all but _**one**_ piece of memory? He knew that Kakashi and he had been close, and had become lovers for a short while before his parents died. So something had happened after they died, and before he and Sasuke lived on the streets.

"The door to your seat is broken," Itachi quietly commented. "We are fast enough to just run back to the lab, you realise?"

Kakashi looked at him and smiled, his face covered once more. Itachi almost flinched at the pure adoration that showed on the other's face. It made him guilty to know that he was lying to Kakashi, but it was needed. He just knew that he won't remember everything unless Kakashi acted the way he used to.

"It'd be a little unusual for the people if they see two men jumping around like there's no gravity, wouldn't it?

**~xXx~**

He should have noticed, really he should, and for how can anyone not see it? But the realisation only came to the Uchiha after he'd woken up from his latest memory.

_His hands shook horribly, the pitiful blade shaking along with him. If he'd had more reason in him, and more time, he would've picked up a larger, less blunt knife. But alas, in his hand was a small butter knife, incapable of doing much damage, but he'd make it work; Itachi would put enough force to pierce the man's heart if he had to. He continued to shake, keeping his eyes on his uncle, trying not to look at the older man's feet, because there he would see his father's cold, unmoving body. It was a horrendous sight; a body shredded mercilessly by a madman. _

_His mother, Mikoto, and his ten year old brother cowered behind him, in the corner of the kitchen. Mikoto's sobs rung in the weasel's ears, as well as his own heart beat. _

"_Why?" He said. "We trusted you, uncle. We… loved you!"_

"_Trusted me?" His uncle snapped and Itachi was afraid he'd crossed the line somehow. His uncle looked unstable, shook like a wild animal caught but still able to fight. "You're father didn't trust me! That's why he's dead!" Sasuke whimpered at the shout. "If he'd just agree, just trusted me a little bit more, he'd still be alive!" Itachi watched warily as his uncle's eyes dilated, large body shaking with pure adrenaline._

"_What did you do? What did you want from him!?"_

'_He's gone mad', Itachi sobbed to himself. 'He's gone mad. They did something to him, that underground lab that he works at.' _

_The crazed Uchiha suddenly smirked, his lips curling mercilessly. "Please, dear nephew, whatever it is that I want, I'll certainly have it now, after all, your father, whom was the only one in my way, is now dead. Now put that knife down, Itachi."_

_His hands shook even more, while he battled with the little boy in him that practically worshipped Madara. Nimble fingers curled and uncurled one by one around the little butterknife. On one hand he so desperately wanted to do as the older man said, wanted to please the one that raised him, wanted to do as he said because that was the man that taught him everything he knew. But… Madara had obviously underestimated him. He'd mistaken and thought that Itachi was a patient boy, thought that he'd got the weasel under his control. _

"_You killed my father," he hissed, launching his lithe body at the other Uchiha's much larger one, ignoring the startled cries of his mother and his brother. When this was all over, and he would have time to calm down, Itachi knew more than anything that his mental state would never be the same again. He dare say he'd gone insane. _

_He wasn't stupid. He didn't aim for whatever piece if skin available for his little knife. But it was much harder than he realised, because his uncle moved like a cat, graceful and unpredictable. It was almost… inhumane, he thought. And alas, he got a cut in at the man's thick arm, and his uncle's blood sprayed on his face. And Itachi couldn't get enough. This man would pay, pay for what he'd done to his father. Itachi continued to swing his knife, eyes blinded to everything that was not his uncle. _

_Somewhere faraway, he heard the sounds of a wild animal, growling and hissing. It sounded wild, out of control, desperate, and he'd only realise it was him. He was the wild animal crazily swinging his knife. He heard Sasuke cry behind him, and could just imagine their mother cradling the young boy's head to her chest. But he was already past the point of caring, way past the line that kept him sane._

_He and his uncle kept at it, until the sirens from the Konoha Force met their ears. Madara suddenly jumped away from his swinging arm, and out of his sight, and that was when the adrenaline left his body and he crumbled to his knees. The Force was here, they'd do something, they'd make it right. Cold, horrendous shivers ran up and down his arms, clawed at his mind. He crawled to his dead father's side, buried his paler than normal face into the man's bloodied neck and cried. The stench of blood was so horrible, so deadly, but he couldn't move away. Fugaku was a good man, he needn't died. Any minute now he expected his father to get up, to wrap his arms around his son and say that everything was alright. _

"_Mother!" Itachi jumped at the scream. He looked around the room; face still buried in blood, only to spot his mother at the window, only a silhouette. "Mother!" Sasuke screamed again, and the elder brother finally saw the other silhouette, large and holding a knife above their mother's chest, but Itachi wouldn't move. Even if he only saw her silhouette, Itachi understood. Uchiha Mikoto would not live in a world that Uchiha Fugaku was not in. She only put up a struggling front for Sasuke. And the boys watched helplessly as Madara brought the knife down, and Mikoto joined her husband. Sasuke screamed._

"_Oh!" Itachi suddenly exclaimed, fisting his small fists on Fugaku's bloodied shirt. He turned away from the sight, turned away from the rest of the world and cried into his father's dead chest. He wept and wailed, screamed and moaned, mourned for the father that he never truly knew and the mother that gave him birth. His little brother's cries echoed his own. _

Bile quickly rose up his throat, and he used his new speed to run to the bath room, barely making it before throwing up whatever had been in his stomach into the toilet. There wasn't much to throw up, so he dry heaved for several minutes. The horror clung onto him, gripped him with an iron grip and he could only tremble. His stomach ached horribly, while at the same time it felt hollow. Once he was sure that his stomach would hold, Itachi carefully got up and flushed the toilet, before washing his face and mouth. His mother's horrified scream echoed in his mind, but it sounded too real. Tears mixed with water, before rolling down his pale cheeks. He cried, because those tears felt too much like his father's blood, felt too real. Why didn't he remember this? Was it really that traumatising?!

_He was watching a movie, he must be! It must be a 3-D, unframed screen. There were so many cars surrounding his house, all mixed together into some unimportant pile. Because why would they come now, when the victims were already dead? And this blanket wrapped around him? It was useless, because he still felt cold and unearthed. He watched as they put a needle into Sasuke's arm, watched as the boy finally stopped his insane struggling and went into a deep sleep. Good, Itachi thought, because Sasuke would only hurt himself like that. The doctors were only doing it to protect the little boy, so that his mental health wouldn't be too affected… but, what about him? What about Itachi? Didn't any body see that his eyes were dancing around; couldn't they see that he had a smile on his face, a smile that shouldn't be there? Couldn't they see that he was going out of his mind?! _

_Of course not. They cannot see. To anyone else he looked as if he just woke up, and he liked it that way. He'd rather go insane then not feel anything at all…_

"_Itachi…" _

…_And suddenly Itachi felt as if the world was right again, as if there was nothing in the world that could hurt him. "Kakashi," he breathed. "Kakashi." What else could he say? He was going insane wasn't he? No, not quite, he just needed one little push before he went over the edge. _

_Something was wrong, something was wrong with his Kakashi! His one eye was too… too shallow, too blank! He was in a suit, a stern looking, expressionless suit. "Kakashi?" Wake me up, he wanted to say, help me escape. But his mouth remained shut, and he was speechless. _

"_Listen to me carefully, Itachi," the older man said, his voice cold, unlike the aloof, cheerful man he'd grown to love so much. "I'm getting transferred to overseas. I'm sorry about what happened, so sorry, but I can't stay here anymore. I think, you'd be better off forgetting me. I'm going tonight, I just came to say goodbye."_

"_Forget about you, you say?" Itachi asked quietly. "You want me to forget eight years of my live?! What is this? What's going on? Tell me, please! I… Why is everything…? Why…"_

_His… no, not his. Kakashi remained mercilessly cold. Couldn't he see? Couldn't he see that Itachi was losing it?_

"_You… You said you loved me, you said… everyday, you love me, don't you? Why are you leaving me… why?" He must have been an ugly sight, with his face covred in his own father's blood, tears running and mixing with blood. Kakashi took his right hand, held it for a second, and pulled back. Itachi looked down through teary eyes._

_His ring was gone… and so was Hatake Kakashi…_

He really should have noticed earlier that he didn't remember how his parents have died…

Itachi laughed; he laughed a high-pitched, soul sucking laugh. Wouldn't anyone else laugh too? It was so funny. Wasn't it just convenient that Kakashi left him there, when he needed him the most? From his place on the floor in the corner of his bed room, he saw Jiraiya rush in, looking more than startled by his loud, insane laughter. And Itachi could only laugh at the man's expressions.

His parents' death, that was funny too! Everything was just so funny! Sasuke's screams, Kakashi's cold words, the blood, the horrified doctors; they were all so funny! He laughed and laughed and laughed, his voice rising with every minute. His lungs couldn't keep up with his laughter; his eyes shed tears constantly and his heart pounding to keep up with its insane host. What a funny world this is. Why wasn't any body else laughing? Didn't they see the irony?

Didn't they see how absolutely hilarious it was that Itachi actually went insane and forgot, just like Kakashi wanted?!

Through his loud laughter, Itachi heard many pair of feet rush into his room. "Shit! Stop him! He's gonna bite his tongue off!"

His hysterical laughs were muffled, as someone placed something wrapped in cloth into his mouth, preventing him from biting down. "He's going into shock!" Biting his own tongue, he wasn't thinking that at all, but it sounded like a good idea now. "Hold him down!" His laughter continued to pour it from his chest, and Itachi found himself breathless. Who knew when it happened, but his laughter had turned into screams and Itachi was left with the urge to kill Kakashi. He had to know, had to feel what it was like!

He screamed when people gathered and picked him up, screamed when people put him onto a bed and screamed when people tied his limbs down. "Kakashi, you monster!" He screamed. "I hate you… I HATE YOU!"

**~xXx~**

"What is this?" He glared at the restraints around his limbs.

"It's so that you don't hurt yourself… or others around you," Kakashi answered.

"You'd know all about that wouldn't you, Kakashi?" Itachi replied, his voice hoarse from screaming so much.

Kakashi scoffed. "I knew you didn't remember everything."

"But I do, now."

"And that changes everything, I suppose?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes at the other man; he could feel his anger rising once more. "Don't try to pin this on me. Where were you, hmm? Was it so funny to see me running around trying to provide for my brother? You weren't even gone were you?"

"No."

"Then tell me… Tell me why you left me like that? My parents were _murdered_, Kakashi… It was because of my uncle, wasn't it? He was the other person to transform, he had chakra. There are so many things I have to know."

Kakashi suddenly put his book away and walked over, sitting carefully down beside Itachi's bed. He leaned down and placed a clothed kiss on Itachi's forehead. "I didn't leave you, even though I said I would. I was given a mission to keep tabs on Madara, and by doing so, I would know straight away of he planned on coming back to get you. If it'd meant you were save, then I'd be just fine having you hate my guts."

"Yes," Itachi said softly. "It would seem out of character if you'd just leave like that, after spending eight years stalking me." He paused for a little longer. "Tell me, please. I have to know. My uncle… killed my parents. And it is disturbing me to know that… he got his powers from here. Why did he kill my father? Did my father have chakra too?"

A boy, Kakashi was forced to remind himself, Itachi was just a boy, barely on the edge of manhood, but it didn't seem like it, it never did. "No, Madara wasn't after your father at all. He wanted you and Sasuke."

Itachi glared and Kakashi was forced to go on. "When he did the experiment on himself, and realised that it would only work on him and anyone related to him by blood, Madara sought to get you and your brother into the Lab. Of course, he was in such a rush that he didn't let us in on anything at all. Just as well, because Hokage-sama wouldn't have agreed, but now we have no choice but to let you transform, because your uncle is out there somewhere, doing something horrible." Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the blank look on Itachi's pale face. "And don't you go blaming yourself on this; it isn't your fault."

"But, I ended up being experimented on anyway; in the end, my father and mother needn't die." He felt his heart lurch painfully.

Kakashi's heart didn't clench in pain for Itachi, he didn't feel the need kill anyone that had hurt his Itachi, and he also didn't feel the urge to hold Itachi forever and ever like most lovers would feel. No, he was a grown man, he'd already moved past that point of uselessness. Now, all he wanted to do was give Itachi exactly what he wanted, even if it killed him. There was an aura of utter defeat, total misery around the young Uchiha that Kakashi almost felt the weigh crushing down on him. "Tell me what you want, Itachi. Tell me what you want and I'll get it for you, just tell me."

Itachi shifted around for a little, testing out the restraints on his wrists and ankles. There were so many things that he wanted, so many things that he could not name. But, what he wanted most of all could never happen; it was impossible, time just doesn't turn back like that. His parents were dead, he'd just have to get over that fact and move on without damaging his sanity again. He wanted Sasuke to be happy and educated, to grow into a good man, and it seemed that it was happening right now; his little brother was just fine. There was nothing else for him. "It must have been an absolute horror, for me to forget like that. You know, if it wasn't for you, I think I'd still remember everything."

"I'm sorry." And he was, because Hatake Kakashi doesn't say the word sorry and mean it very often.

"Release me," Itachi commanded his voice once again cold and blank, back to its full glory.

And Kakashi did not hesitate; after all, Itachi had been just as demanding when they were younger. Kakashi loved Itachi, was obsessed with the pretty boy, and Itachi knew that… and he certainly had no problem taking advantage of the older man's devotion. The leather restraints snapped off in an instance, and before the elder could react, he already an armful of Itachi. With Itachi wrapped determinably around him, Kakashi stumbled back; barely able to react when he heard Itachi whisper, "_Transport_." He blinked once and he was in a room, a bedroom, his own bedroom to be exact. "Make love to me," Itachi commanded, whispering needily into the older man's ear. "Do to me the things that you couldn't before. I'm older now, don't hold back. Show me what over ten years of waiting has done to you!"

Kakashi chuckled. Finally things are starting to go the way they should. "Are you sure you won't go into shock and try to bite your own tongue off again?" And the silver headed man could only wince as sharp little nails dug into his shoulders. Well… there's no helping them now…

Kakashi threw Itachi on the bed, only giving the younger man half a mille-second before pouncing.

Kakashi discovered that night… or was it day, that Itachi could make many, many sounds. He found out just how deep Itachi's love for him ran, just how much the younger loved the elder. He realised just how much the boy needed him, just how much he needed the boy. Uchiha Itachi was one constant thing in Kakashi's life. He was one solid, unmoving thing that would stay, that would be with him when all else fails. Itachi, to Kakashi, was like one single, moving moment, one that could easily be missed if he didn't hold on tight and cherish it.

There were so many things left to do, so many things to take care off, so many, many things. And time wasn't going to stop for them; they'd have to make it work. The least they could do… was take a moment off, and enjoy each other, 'cause that's usually when things go superbly.

* * *

Bad ending, yes I realize that, but I have been working on this for too long now, and if I don't publish it, then I'd get bored of it.

Um, yes it's a one-shot, so do enjoy and leave a review.

This has got to be my longest one-shot ever, so leave a comment.

Was Itachi out of character?


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